It was the morning of Valentines Day, and Sirius was ready for a new love in his life. Perhaps new was the wrong word, for it was a rather old love in truth. That love was Quidditch.

He'd broken up with Cynthia soon after he'd arrived back at Hogwarts in January. After the kiss with Emma, he didn't think it was right. Not that the kiss meant anything, of course, and he didn't have any romantic feelings for Emma, but still. Honor was honor. That was one thing he took away from his upbringing.

Tonight was the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, some might say the only match that mattered at Hogwarts. Surely the other teams had talent, but the unmitigated hatred was strongest between these two foes. Sirius knew that as a chaser, tonight would end with him bruised beyond belief. All the better he was single, surely some 6th or 7th year would be eager to ice his wounds with him later that night…

Sirius' thoughts were interrupted by a resounding thwack upside his head.

"I'm talking to you Padfoot." James rolled his eyes from across the table. He had just smacked Sirius with the Daily Prophet, clearly annoyed with his daydreaming.

"Sorry, what?"

"I said, are you coming into Hogsmeade today?"

"Oh, no. I'm going to be resting before the game." Sirius mumbled.

"Resting? Honestly Sirius, you woke up at noon. I doubt a walk to the village and a pint of something would hurt your game that much." Remus chided, with a knowing look.

"Nobody special to spend the lovely day with?" Peter giggled and batted his eyelashes.

James spit out his pumpkin juice with laughter.

"You should come Pads, there's going to be a table of us singles at Broomsticks. I know Marlene and Em Vance are coming with Pete and I, they said they'd invite some of their dateless friends too." Remus added.

Sirius' ears perked up at the mention of Emmeline Vance. She was Emma's best friend, partly owing to their nearly identical names. He felt himself on the verge of a blush, so he quickly redirected the conversation.

"What is your plan, Prongs?" He asked James.

"Gen and I are going to Honeydukes then Three Brooms. I think most of our year is doing the same, and Gen really isn't the romantic sort."

"Well, what she lacks in romance she makes up in possessiveness." Sirius muttered.

"I heard that." James said flatly.

"Good."

"Is it true she didn't talk to Emma Howard-Shelley for a week after she saw you two chatting on the train?" Peter asked.

"I will neither confirm or deny." James grumbled, biting into his hamburger.

"So yes." The other three friends intoned simultaneously.

"Speaking of Emma-" James started to talk, a mischievous glint in his eye, but Sirius got up and left the table before he could finish. If he was going to spend the afternoon with her, the least he could do was work on his appearance.

Remus corralled his motley crew of bachelors into the courtyard like a mother hen. Sirius was fussing with his corduroy cloak, and Peter was counting his pocket money. Emmeline Vance, Marlene McKinnon, Emma Howard-Shelley, and Laura Chumley were waiting for them under the stone arch to the bridge. He rather fancied Marlene McKinnon, but they'd agreed today was strictly an outing for friends, not for lovers.

"This all? Let's go stake out a table." Marlene declared, she and Laura leading the way.

The group chatted and joked the whole walk to the village, and Remus found himself quite enjoying this particular assortment of people. Even stoic Emma seemed cheerful in this group. He watched her and Emmeline walk arm in arm, in matching red plaid cloaks and tall black boots. More than that, he noticed Sirius watching them.

Let the matchmaking begin, Remus thought.

"Say Ravenclaws, is your apparel indicating your support in tonight's match?" He asked over the hubbub of everyone speaking.

"Yes, it was Emma's idea." Emmeline smiled.

"Hardly. My mother sent me these old cloaks of my twin sisters and I just thought it was fitting for today." Emma added softly.

"A Harper-Shelley not supporting Slytherin? What would Mama say?" Sirius said jokingly, though it came out much harsher than he probably meant it.

"I'll be cheering for Lewis to knock you off your broom of course, but I like to see an even match. I was spoiled by the talent in France." Emma replied.

"Ha," Sirius scoffed, "French quidditch is nothing compared to here. Not enough muscle, too much fancy flying."

"I would say that technique wins over brute force any day."

Remus felt like his head was on a swivel going back and forth between his friend and the Ravenclaw witch, sparring verbally. He wasn't sure he'd ever heard Emma talk this much before. She was still her composed self, but he could tell that Sirius was getting fired up over being challenged on his Quidditch opinions.

"I quite agree." Marlene interjected.

"You would, you're the Gryffindor seeker." Peter laughed.

The temperature of the conversation was lowered, and by the time it had moved on, the party was approaching the doors of the pub. The girls laid claim to a table while the lads ordered the first round of drinks.

"Two hot butterbeers and two firewhisky shots." Sirius ordered.

"Two of each? One for you and one for…?" Remus gave Sirius a knowing look.

"Oh shove it." Sirius muttered and carried the drinks to the table while Remus and Peter brought the rest.

They were seated boys on one side, girls on another, and Remus made a point of taking the seat opposite Emma, to Sirius' barely concealed chagrin. Remus knew he had struck a chord; there was more between Emma and Sirius than pureblood society and butterbeer.

Emma had two pints in her, and as a result was feeling rather chatty. She noticed a firewhisky shot in front of her that she hadn't purchased. Suddenly, she had an idea.

"Let's play a game." Emma announced to the group, holding the shot in between her fingers and inspecting it like it was a dangerous potion.

"Yes?" Laura Chumley nearly jumped in her seat. Emma was fast learning that the Gryffindors knew how to drink.

"Truth or drink?" Came a male voice next to her. It was James, who looked like the weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders.

Well, Emma thought, I'll be hearing plenty about his non-date with Gen later.

Emma did not want to think about that. So she downed the firewhisky shot.

"Slow down, Emma, we haven't even started." James laughed and scooted into the booth next to her.

"Gen coming?" Remus asked.

"Ah, no. She's gone to the Hog's Head instead." James replied.

Emma knew what that meant. It meant they had broken up and she'd gone to meet up with most of Ravenclaw and Slytherin at The Hog's Head. Gen had planned for every possible scenario for today, and going to the other pub was filed under Plan 2b. But if James wasn't going to openly mention the breakup, then neither would she. Not that she ever said much to begin with, but still.

"I think Igor here should have to answer a truth for taking a premature shot." Sirius gestured.

"Igor?" Emmeline asked, confused.

"Igor." Sirius pointed at Emma. Everyone shrugged, but they accepted this. There would be plenty of time for the wherefores and whys later.

"I agree, but I have a contingency too," James raised his hand, "Sirius, Marls and I can only do truths since we have a game to play in a few hours. Nothing stronger than sips of Butterbeer for us."

"Deal." Emma shook James' hand.

"Who was your first kiss?" Sirius asked.

"You wouldn't know him, he's french."

The rest of the table let out an "oooo" noise. Emma watched as Sirius' cheeks turned a little pink, embarrassed for asking such a juvenile question. But then she couldn't stop looking at him. His dark wavy hair was parted and combed, he wore a cable knit sweater and jeans. He looked...very good.

"No no no no no." Emma muttered to herself.

"Come again?" James looked at her.

"Oh, nothing sorry just thinking out loud."

"Well, ask Sirius one right back. He has to answer." James encouraged her.

"Alright, best shag?" Emma said subtly.

"Tabitha Weasley."

James spit out his drink for the second time that day.

"WHAT!"

"You heard me, Tabitha Weasley."

"She graduated last year!"

"And?"

The game continued. Emma saw that about ten minutes later Lily Evans walked in with Terrance Gilbertson, a 7th year Ravenclaw. She also noticed that at this point in the game, James stopped paying attention to any one's answers. After fifteen minutes of watching James watching Lily have an awkward date, Emma declared the game finished and that they should all make their way to the Quidditch pitch.

"Alright but you Ravenclaws better come to the Gryffindor common room afterwards to celebrate our victory." Marlene said.

The night was young.

Snow had begun falling, but it only invigorated James playing more. It was one of his best games ever, but nothing compared to how Sirius was playing. He and Sirius were on fire that night, racking up 10 goals between them. Unfortunately for Marlene, the falling snow made the snitch rather evasive.

Slytherin nipped close on their heels, thanks to Lewis Howard-Shelley's skill as a beater. The score was too close to give up on the quaffle just yet. But it didn't matter that he would be playing hard for at least another half hour. He felt like he could snog old Professor Flitwick, such the mood he was in.

He had broken up with Genevieve. They'd been a mismatch from the start, and her feelings didn't match up with her sense of control. They'd exchanged terse words in Honeydukes, and went their separate ways to separate pubs. He only hoped she wouldn't make a fuss over it, but she must have known that his heart truly lay with Lily Evans.

Lily clearly had a lackluster date with that Ravenclaw. She'd smiled at him and squeezed his hand as he and the team had exited the locker room, and he thought maybe, just maybe, she was wearing a jumper with his jersey number on it beneath her cloak. But he couldn't be sure.

Sirius and Emma were finally waking up to their feelings, barely disguised in a veil of loathing. He knew both their families would not object to them, so he could hardly see what stood in their way now. Marlene flew close to the Gryffindor stands where Remus was cheering. It seemed that all was coming together for him and his friends.

Poor James, he wasn't entirely wrong. But the timing would not be in the Marauders favor for some time yet. Today was a good start, to be sure. But many challenges awaited them in life and in love still.

"James!" Hollered Frank Longbottom, who hurtled the quaffle at him, promptly followed by a hand gesture that meant one thing: the Snitch had been sighted. This meant they were to be as elusive as possible until it was clear who had the small gold ball in their grasp. James shot straight up in the sky and heard a gasp from the crowd. Lewis was in hot pursuit, and he barely dodged a bludger. Sirius swung around him and caught it in the thigh, swatting it at the Slytherin seeker, who had an edge on Marlene.

The chasers returned closer to the pitch and scored a few quick points to buy Marlene time. James took a bludger to the shoulder and missed a goal, which Slytherin answered with a score of their own.

Suddenly, he heard a roar of excitement from the Gryffindor crowd, turned and saw Lily and Emma jumping up and down, cheering. Marlene was on the center of the pitch, punching the air with the snitch in her hands.

It was a Gryffindor victory, and the quidditch cup was just in their grasp.

It was a long night for everyone at Hogwarts, with too many exploits and intrigues to spell out for each to receive their due allotment. Instead, a tantalizing tidbit from each young lover will suffice for now:

In the Slytherin dormitories, Narcissa Black and Lewis Howard-Shelley fully consummated their love. It would be a night that changed them forever, and would change the lives of many at Hogwarts that day.

In Gryffindor tower, a party raged on til the wee hours of the morning. There were two first kisses, one face slapped in anger, and a cold bed for James Potter at the end of it all.

Across the castle, the empty Ravenclaw common room had a lone occupant reading a new letter from France by the fire, while a young man of Gryffindor wandered the corridor, seeing her face in every portrait.